Septimius Severus (193–211 AD): Founder of the Severan Dynasty
Septimius Severus (193–211 AD): Founder of the Severan Dynasty Septimius Severus founded the Severan Dynasty, the last dynasty to rule Rome before the anarchic Crisis of the Third Century. He guided the Roman Empire to great military victories, but his reign saw an expansion in the role of the army in politics—a dangerous trend. Rise to Power Severus was born in the city of Leptis Magna in modern-day Libya, making him the first Roman emperor born in Africa. His rule and his family, however, would be heavily influenced by the Syrian culture of his second wife, Julian Domna, who was from Emesa. Julia bore Severus his two sons: Bessianus (Caracalla) and Geta. Severus followed the traditional military and political career of a Roman aristocrat, and he was serving as a general in Pannonia when Emperor Commodus was overthrown. When Commodus’s senatorial successor, Pertinax, was assassinated by the Praetorian Guard, Septimius Severus was proclaimed emperor by his troops (April, 193 AD). Severus was not the only one. In Britain, the general Clodius Albinus was proclaimed emperor by his men, as was Pescennius Niger, the commander of the legions in Syria. Severus’s position in Pannonia put him close to Italy, and he quickly marched to Rome with his troops. There, he held a funeral for Pertinax. He had the Praetorian Guards who had participated in the murder of Pertinax executed and disbanded the rest of the unit, replacing them with loyal soldiers picked from his army. By tying himself to Pertinax, Serverus, who had no claim to rule except his military might, gained legitimacy as successor to Pertinax.
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